Rush In Hurry To Succeed

Arena Football - Orlando Predators

As An Expansion Team Last Season, Chicago Beat Orlando Twice, Including The Playoffs.

April 26, 2002|By L.C. Johnson, Sentinel Staff Writer

The Orlando Predators' history with the Chicago Rush covers only one season, but the teams already have developed a bit of a rivalry, which resumes tonight at TD Waterhouse Centre.

As an Arena Football League expansion team last season, the Rush beat the Preds in the regular-season finale, then came to Orlando the next week to knock the Preds out of the playoffs.

"Chicago has a good team," Preds lineman Ernest Allen said. "We remember what they did to us by beating us twice last year, including the playoffs. We're not used to losing in the first round like that, so we're definitely going to have to be ready to play this weekend."

That early playoff exit -- on the heels of three consecutive ArenaBowl appearances and two titles -- is one of the reasons Jay Gruden decided to come out of retirement to play quarterback this season for Orlando. While his Predators playing debut did not go as well as planned -- a 67-49 road loss to the Georgia Force last Saturday -- Gruden and company hope to reverse their fortunes tonight.

"Losing last week to a division opponent is almost like losing two games," Allen said.

New Preds Coach Fran Papasedero said he isn't sure how good his team is yet.

"But after one game, we're not about to get into a panic mode," he said. "All of the mistakes we made last week are correctable."

The Rush built themselves into contenders with the help of a couple of former Orlando players. Offensive specialist Joe Douglass joined Chicago last season as a free agent and became a standout performer. This year he is joined by lineman Rich McKenzie, who spent most of last season on the Preds' injured list.

"It's going to be fun playing against Rich," Preds linebacker/fullback Tommy Dorsey said. "He was like a big brother to me. But once we step onto the field, he's not going to be my big brother. He's just going to be the enemy."

Chicago's biggest addition is former Nashville Kats lineman James Baron, voted the top lineman in the AFL last season. He joined the Rush as a free agent during the off-season.

"The talent is spread out pretty evenly throughout the league, especially with contraction," Preds tight end/defensive end B.J. Cohen said. "You're not going to see teams with 12-2 records running away with the division. The team that wins the divisions might only be 9-5. It's going to be tough every week. There are no easy teams."

Count Chicago among those teams vying for the Central Division crown and perhaps a lot more in its second season under Coach Mike Hohensee.

"As an expansion team, they were good enough to make it to the playoffs and make some noise," Gruden said. "But with the players they added during the off-season, I think they have enough talent to get to the ArenaBowl."